Ryan Family Snapshots
by The Brunette Bullet Girl
Summary: A series of "Snapshots" of the Ryan family. Cute, fluffy, sad, etc. Matt/Jen AU  This story is not structured like a normal fic, but each chapter or snapshot is a look at Matt and Jen's life and their future...
1. Snapshot 1: Oh, Baby

**Ryan Family Snapshots**

**Snapshot 1: Oh, Baby…**

Consciousness returned; her eyes, slightly hazy as she opened them; a single blade of the morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, bouncing across the comforter that lay crumpled around her.

A clock ticked in the background, a tap dripped in the far off distance, birds sang by her window and the coffee machine clicked itself on, the soft gurgle of water being heated and filtered into the pot woke Jennifer more, the small filtering through her senses, causing her stomach to lurch violently as she quickly rolled over as far as her protruding stomach would allow, planting her feet firmly on the floor, the blankets tangling around her in her haste as she quickly made her way to the bathroom, barely flinging the door open before falling to her knees in front of the toilet before her stomach revolted, emptying its contents into the bowl. Tears pricked at her eyes and sweat beaded on her forehead as she hung her head weakly, gasping and trembling. With a groan, she slumped backward against the bath tub, flattening her palms against the cool tile floor, claming her racing pulse. How long she sat there, she didn't know. She only knew that at some point, she dragged herself to her feet and staggered to the sink.

She splashed water over her face, the tiny droplets falling down her cheeks to her chin where they dripped into the sink and down the drain. She looked in the mirror at her reflection. Her skin was bright and radiant, her eyes were bright and they twinkled. She smiled, staggering back into the bedroom, picking up the blankets as she went before curling back up under them.

On the bed side table, her phone began buzzing. Picking it up, she held it to her ear.

"Hey," she yawned as she answered.

"Morning beautiful, how are my two girls?" He chuckled.

Jennifer grinned, knowing that Matt was teasing her. "Might not be a girl, hon."

"But I can dream can't I?"

"Mmmmm… you can," Jennifer replied quietly, still feeling a bit nauseous.

"Morning sickness?" Matt asked tenderly.

"Mmmm…" Jennifer moaned.

"I'll see if Wolfie will let me leave for lunch a little earlier and I'll drop by the chemist." Matt said, feeling bad that his wife was cooped up in bed at home.

"Thanks hon, I don't know what I'd do without you." Jennifer replied, feeling a little bit better.

Matt chuckled, a sound that warmed Jennifer's heart. "You'd go stir crazy." He joked, grinning.

"Yeah, your right, I probably would." Jennifer laughed.

"I'll see you soon, alright?" She heard Matt say, she could hear the sounds of the office in the background as well as Duncan and Simon fighting over something.

"Mmmm kay and tell Duncan and Simon they're acting like kids." She laughed again as she heard Matt relay her message to them, followed by a shouted hello from the both of them before the chorus of bickering started again.

"Did you hear that?" Matt chuckled.

"Mmmmmhhmmmm…" she yawned.

"Go to sleep, I'll be home shortly." Matt cooed, sensing Jennifer was exhausted.

"Mmmmmm… see you soon, love you." She mumbled, on the verge of oblivion once again.

"Love you too." That was the last thing she heard before curling up into a little ball under the covers, falling back into blissful nothingness.

- MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ -

Matt quietly unlocked the front door to their home a few hours later, trying not to disturb Jennifer. The doctor had ordered bed rest for her, after all she'd only been released from hospital a few days ago and she'd been taking it easy.

He never thought he'd been so scared in his whole entire life as he had been when he'd seen what had happened in the interview room.

He remembered watching as the suspect lunged at Jennifer, pushing her against the wall with a loud thud, the breath being knocked from her lungs as a startled, pained cry fell from her lips.

The uniforms were in there as soon as it had happened, dragging the suspect off her.

_*Flashback*_

_He ran into the room just as she sank to the cold tile floor, clutching her stomach, crying._

"_Jen," he said, his face an unreadable expression of emotion. He couldn't bring himself to look at the dark pool of blood upon the cold, hard tiles under her in fear of what it meant._

"_Oh god, Jen," he whispered, looking into the pained, tear stained face of his wife, a lone tear falling down his own cheek as he heard someone in the background yelling for someone to get the first aid kit and some blankets, while someone else was on the phone, for an ambulance no doubt._

"_What's going on in here!" Came the gruff yell from Bernice Waverly. As soon as she walked into the interview room, Matt could see from the look on her face that Jennifer was no doubt in a bad way._

"_Stanley, clear everyone out of here, now!" She forcefully said to Stanley._

_As he started to usher everyone away, Bernice got down on her knees beside Matt._

"_Matt, has anyone called for an ambulance yet?" Bernice asked before grabbing one of the towels that had just been brought in by a young female uniform._

"_I… I… I think so." He answered vaguely._

"_Good, now I know that is going to be a little awkward for all involved," she began gently,__.__ "But I'm going to have to get you to remove Jennifer's slacks and underwear so we can stem the flow of blood." She said as gently and as quietly as possible to avoid prying ears._

_He did as he was instructed and soon there after, a towel was draped across her lap, keeping her dignity intact while another was bunched up and used to stem the flow of dark crimson liquid that was coming from between her legs. He sat beside her, her head resting in the crook of his neck as she cried, he'd never seen her this panic-stricken before._

"_Shhhh, ambulance is on it's way, sshhh… it's going to be ok," he soothed, holding her close as possible as she continued to cry._

_*End Flashback*_

Matt walked into their bedroom and spied the top of a golden halo sticking out from under the covers.

"Hey beautiful," he whispered, grinning as Jennifer stuck her head out from under the covers.

"Mmmmmm hey," she shuffled up the bed a little as she untangled herself from the covers, her golden tresses falling down past her shoulders.

Matt leant over, placing a tender kiss to her lips before sitting down beside her on the bed, his arm extended out behind him, effectively trapping her legs between his arm and body.

"Here, the pharmacist said that these are good for morning sickness." Matt said, pulling a bottle of ginger tablets out. "And there's a bottle of ginger beer in the fridge when you want it."

"Thank you," Jennifer replied, taking the ginger tablets from Matt before opening the lid and popping two in her hand, accepting the glass of water he handed over to her. She downed the two with a mouthful of water before handing the glass back to Matt.

"Thanks," Jennifer said, snuggling back under the blankets.

Matt smiled lovingly at her.

"Would you like something to eat? A sandwich maybe?" he asked as he got up.

"Mmmmmmm a sandwich would be good," She replied as she started getting up.

"Where are you going?" Matt asked as he watched Jennifer gently shimmy herself to the edge of the bed, her hand gently cradling the protruding bump before standing up on precarious legs, Matt quickly standing at her side to steady her.

"I'm going out to watch TV, I'm getting a bit bored." She laughed as she walked out the door, Matt following closely behind her.

Matt chuckled at his wife's antics. He knew that after having a partial placenta abruption that she was going to need plenty of rest for it to mend. He'd 'Googled' it and found out all he would need to know about the subject.


	2. Snapshot 2: Raging Hormones

**Snapshot 2: Raging Hormones**

"Hey I'm home!" Matt called as he walked through the front door, his keys joining Jennifer's in the dish by the door; placing his brief case on a chair in the kitchen, draping his coat over it; walking towards Jennifer and wrapping his arms around her, his hands resting on her protruding stomach, kissing her gently on the cheek.

"Hey," she said, smiling at their nightly ritual, "did you get the milk?" she asked after she left Matt's warm embrace to check on the pasta.

"Oh! Sorry Jen," Matt said, wincing knowing all too well of Jennifer's current hormonal state.

Jennifer burst into tears, Matt quickly rushing to her side to try and comfort her only succeeding in making her angry.

"I rang you twice to remind you!" she yelled, crying harder as she pushed Matt away.

"I'm sorry Jen," Matt said, trying to apologise, but only succeeding in making her even angrier.

Jennifer picked up the first thing she could lay her hands on, which happened to be a glass plate, and threw it at him. Matt ducked just in time as the glass plate flew by his head and smashed against the wall behind him. Quickly he rushed from the room, frustrated and scared at the same time, grabbing his keys on the way out.

He was going out to get that damned carton of milk; he was fed up with the way she had been acting lately. She cried over anything and everything and quite frankly, it scared him a little.

- MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ -

Matt quickly ran through the pouring rain across the wet car park towards his car, a 1 litre carton of milk and a bunch of roses in his right hand as his left fumbled around with the car keys, trying to click the central locking mechanism button to unlock the car, idly wondering how lefties ever did anything with such a useless, uncoordinated hand.

Jumping into the car out of the wet, he deposited the items on the passenger's seat as he drove out of the car park and onto the main road, heading towards home.

Arriving home shortly after, he grabbed the milk and roses and quickly made his way up the front stairs and into their home. The smell of roast chicken and veggies filling his senses as he proceeded to peck Jennifer on the cheek, giving her the roses and depositing the milk in the fridge.

"Sorry I forgot about the milk," he said, sheepishly.

"It's ok," she replied, filling a vase with water before putting the roses into it, depositing it on the coffee table in the living room.

Matt looked down at his feet as he felt Jerry rub against his legs a few times before disappearing deeper into the house.

Looking back up as Jennifer walked back into the kitchen, he watched her come up to him before he wrapped his arms around her as her head came to rest on his chest.

Obviously his roses had the desired effect on her as the milk issue was quickly forgotten.


	3. Snapshot 3: Snapshots

**Snapshot 3: Snapshots**

Eying the remote for the plasma TV, she grabbed it before wrapping a throw around herself as she settled on the couch, The Morning Show now playing on the screen before her. She took no notice of the images as they flickered across the screen, her eyes fixing on the photos displayed entertainment unit.

Her eyes glazed over as they shifted over the photos, coming to rest on a photo of the both of them. They had been down at the pub with the rest of the team after a particularly tough case. Matt had his arm wrapped around her waist, a large toothy smile on his face as he looked at the photographer, she was next to him, her lips pressed against his cheek, her left hand resting on his chest, the diamond on her finger sparkling in the dimly lit pub.

She remembered that day, it had been a picturesque day, warm and sunny, without a single cloud in the sky. Perfect, she would always say. But not as perfect as when Matt, in the middle of the office, got down on one knee, pulled out a small blue velvet box and asked her to marry him. She had wrapped her arms around his neck, her lips pressing against his as he lifted her feet off the ground.

Their colleagues had cheered and whooped. She had never felt as loved as she did then, and now, than any other time in her life.

Her eyes lazily shifted across the photos, a few of their graduation day parade and them in their full dress uniforms, photos of friends and family before settling onto her favourite photo.

It was taken in the gardens on their wedding day. Her gown was beautiful, a two piece strapless ivory gown, the bodice studded with rhinestones that ran the length of the dress. Matt was dressed in a sharp looking tuxedo.

They were standing together under an archway covered in vines and flowers, Matt's arms were wrapped around her waist as he kissed her, her veil falling backwards over her shoulders, her arms wrapped around his neck, the bouquet of red roses hanging loosely from her hand as the sun glinted off the diamond engagement ring and the new wedding ring that adorned her finger.

Matt picked up Jennifer's hand, his fingers gently brushing across her wedding and engagement ring.

"Remember our wedding day?" Jennifer asked, turning her head to look at Matt, her hands coming to rest on her swollen stomach.

"I'll never forget it, you looked absolutely stunning." Matt replied, placing a gentle kiss to her lips.

The moment was broken when the shrill ringing of Matt's mobile as it echoed around the room.

"I guess that maybe your squad has finally run amuck without you there to keep them in line, Sergeant." Jennifer laughed as Matt got up and answered his phone.

She watched his expression change from annoyance to resentment before he hung up the phone, shoving it roughly into his pocket before turning to look at her, apology now clearly written across his features. He didn't need to say anything for her to understand.

"It's ok, go. I'll be fine." She said as he approached her, placing a tender kiss to her lips.

"I'll call if I'm not going to be able to make it for dinner." He said, sadly.

"It's ok, I understand, now, go." She said, ushering him away, getting a grin from him as he left.

Jennifer sighed in defeat. She was hoping that he would be home for dinner tonight, but no such luck, she assumed from his tone when he was on the phone. But she wasn't angry, she knew what it was like being a police officer, especially being married to one.

Things always seemed to pop up when you least expect them, more so now that Matt had been promoted to Sergeant. With those extra hooks, came extra responsibility.


	4. Snapshot 4: Home Delivery

**Snapshot 4: Home Delivery**

She was standing at the kitchen sink when she felt a sharp twinge of pain shoot through her stomach, causing her to double over in pain, followed by a river of warm fluid that trickled down her leg.

"Oooh, gooooooodddd!" She groaned, grasping the counter for support as she took an erratic breath in.

Jennifer groaned as another twinge of pain shot through her, Jerry coming to sit on the counter in front of her.

"Mreow." Jerry said, looking up at her with concerned eyes.

"I know, Jerry, aaaaaaaaggggggggghhhhhh," she groaned as yet another twinge of pain shot up her nerves, sweat beading on her forehead.

Jerry turned and jumped off the counter and ran over to the couch and sat up on it, Jennifer's eyes following him.

"That sounds like a good idea," Jennifer said as she moved over to where Jerry sat on her couch. Getting down on her knees, a bit unsteadily, she folded her arms on the sofa cushions in front of her.

Another contraction ripped up her nerves as she cried out in anguish. Reaching blindly out to the side table beside the couch, she grabbed for the phone and dialled Matt's number. The only thing heard on the other end of the line was silence.

"No, no, no, not now," she cried as she dropped the phone on the couch before reaching behind her to the coffee table for her mobile. Wrapping her fingers around the device, she clicked it on and opened the contacts list before selecting Matt's mobile number.

The phone rang and rang, before it went to voice mail. "Matt, it-" she began leaving a message only to have her phone cut out.

"Oh no, no, no! aaarrrggghhhhh!" She whimpered as another contraction ripped up her nerves.

- MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ -

The hours ticked by, and Jennifer began to think that maybe she was going to have this baby at home, with no-one else around. She had tried to call '000' a few times from the home phone, but still, the phone lines were down and her mobile was flat.

"…41, 42, 43, 44, AAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" Jennifer cried out as she counted how far apart her contractions were. She knew from her birthing books and doctors appointments that she was going the have to start pushing anytime soon and she didn't want to do this, not without Matt by her side.

"Oh god, where are you Matt?" She cried, hoping that Matt would understand her message before she had been cut off.

"Oh my god, Oh. My. God!" The pain of another contraction ripped through her as she sobbed in agony.

She heard the door fly open followed by Matt's frantic voice yell up the hall.

"Jen! Jen! Jen… oh god," he said, coming to a stop by the entrance of the lounge room.

"Oh god, Matt! AAARRRGGGGHHHH!" She sobbed as another contraction ripped through her.

"Jen!" Matt immediately ran to her and fell to his knees beside her.

"Why didn't you call an ambulance?" Matt asked.

"Phone lines out, mobile flat." Jennifer sobbed as pain wracked her body.

"Ok, lets get you to the hospital," Matt started, rubbing soothing circles on Jennifer's back.

Jennifer frantically shook her head as she cried out again, "No! I need to push!"

Matt opened and closed his mouth a few times looking at Jennifer, "It's ok, Jen, it's ok." He managed to get out, reassuring her before pulling his own mobile out to dial '000'. After telling the emergency operator all the details, he took his jacket off and threw it onto a chair behind him.

"AAAAARRRGGGHHHHH, GGOODDD!" Jennifer cried, her face red and splotchy from the exertion as another contraction hit, more painful than the last.

"Come on Jen, remember to pant," Matt said, watching as Jennifer began panting with him.

"ARGH… GOD!" Jennifer cried as another contraction wracked her slowly tiring body. "I can't do this." She cried, her head lolling from side to side as she cried.

"YES you can Jen! Just remember, like wepracticed," he said, motivating her, "Just think about what it's going to be like, holding her for the first time, feeding her, changing her." Matt gently cooed before quickly taking a peek to see Jennifer's progress.

"Ok, Jen, I can see her head," Matt said, excited, as he watched his daughters head start to emerge.

"I can't…" Jennifer cried as she buckled slightly on the couch, shaking her head, tears streaming down her sweaty face.

"Come on Jen! Don't give up now, she's almost here!" Matt shouted, watching slowly as his daughter started to emerge. "Come on Jen, PUSH!"

"!" She screamed pushing again, the pain becoming unbearable.

"Come on Jen, ONE MORE BIG PUSH!" Matt yelled enthusiastically.

"!" She screamed giving one last all mighty push with all her might.

A tiny whimpering mew accompanied her scream and at that moment, she knew that their daughter had been born; the relief flooding thought her as she slipped from her body and into her fathers awaiting arms.

Lifting the tiny towel wrapped newborn into Jennifer's arms, he couldn't stop the tears that leaked down his cheeks, and they weren't tears of sadness but of joy and happiness. He was awestruck. It was love at first sight, he would always say. Not a few minutes later, he heard sirens coming down the street before they stopped out the front of their home.

A few moments later, he heard foot falls down the hallway. Two paramedics sided up to them and began checking Jennifer and their newborn daughter out. Words failed him as they began to load both mother and child onto a stretcher, Matt following closely behind them.

Grabbing his car keys on the way out the door, he ran to Jennifer's side.

"Jen, I'll follow behind, ok?" He said, pressing a kiss to her lips.

Jennifer nodded and grinned, still holding their bundle of joy in her arms as she was loaded up into the back of the ambulance.

- MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ - MJ -

Everyone had arrived soon after hearing the good news, Matt stood beside Jennifer; who sat up in bed, glowing; a little bundle wrapped in a pink blanket, cradled protectively in his arms. Everyone oohed and aahed as Matt pulled back the pink blanket to reveal soft blonde fuzz like his and piercing blue eyes like Jennifer's.

Everyone took turns holding the tiny bundle while commenting on how much she looked like both her parents. Bernice asking the obvious question.

"Have you named her yet?" She asked as she held the tiny bundle affectionately in her arms.

Matt looked at Jennifer, smiling, before continuing.

"Lindsey Isabella Ryan." He stated proudly, grinning as Lindsey began fussing.

"Oh!" Bernice said, carefully laying the bundle in Jennifer's awaiting arms. "Looks like someone's hungry."

Everyone excused themselves for Lindsey's first feeding. Stroking her cheek with a finger, Jennifer looked up at Matt.

"She's so beautiful, Matt." She said, tears glistening in her eyes.

"I know, just like her mother." He said, sitting up on the bed beside Jennifer as she nursed Lindsey, mesmerised as she clutched his finger in her tiny hand. When she was done, they put her in her crib and settled back so Jennifer could get some rest.

Matt watched both of them sleep, thinking about how lucky he was to have Jennifer and his new born daughter in his life. He said a silent prayer, thanking god for the woman that gave him a beautiful daughter.


End file.
